Falling for You
by PoAph
Summary: A rather unusual pairing. Rose is in love with an man her father's age, and is too scared to tell him. But after a drunken night, everything comes out.


I don't know but  
I think I maybe  
Fallin' for you  
Dropping so quickly  
Maybe I should  
Keep this to myself  
Waiting 'til I  
Know you better

Rose smiled over the flowerpot at Neville. As a Herbologist, she was helping the Hogwarts' Herbology professor with a new breakthrough research on the properties of Devils' Snare in curing Dragonpox. As one of her parents' best friends, she had been close to him all her life, and he had insisted that she call him Neville the day she graduated. Rose had complied with this wish readily, bringing them together on a more personal level, instead of the student- teacher relationship they had previously shared. Yes, Rose Weasley had been in love with Neville Longbottom for years. Why? She didn't know. How? Maybe during all those extra Herbology classes she took with him, or maybe they spent the night by the fire in her grandparents' house, just talking, acting like friends.

I am trying  
Not to tell you  
But I want to  
I'm scared of what you'll say  
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling  
But I'm tired of  
Holding this inside my head

Nobody suspected that she liked him, and she was happier that way. Her friends wouldn't understand, and her family would kill both her and Neville, even though it wasn't his fault. So that's what brought Rose to her present dilemma- stuck between her family's expectations of getting married to a guy closer to her age (preferably Scorpius Malfoy) and her desperate crush on a man her parents' age.

She loved Neville- of this, she was sure. But she was torn between telling him, and taking her secret to the grave. She thought he would push her away, and tell her parents, thus ruining two relationships with one shot- the decades long one with her family, and the casual friendship he shared with her.

I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
and now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you

They walked out of the greenhouse together, and decided to go to the Three Broomsticks for drinks. They spoke about everything under the sun while walking; Rose was still amazed by how comfortable they felt together despite their age difference. They reached the pub and ordered Butterbeers. Neville asked her if there were any new boys in her life. Rose replied indignantly in the negative. They spoke about Rose's cousins, and the house Neville planned on buying in the mountains to stay in during the vacations. He said he'd feel lonely there all alone, even though it was so beautiful. When Rose offered to stay there with him, she was perfectly serious, even though Neville chuckled at her suggestion. They slowly moved on to Firewhisky.

As I'm standing here  
And you hold my hand  
Pull me towards you  
And we start to dance  
All around us  
I see nobody  
Here in silence  
It's just you and me

Rose giggled as both her and Neville held onto each other because they were too drunk to stand without support. Tottering along, they walked into the night together. Finally, they reached a secluded bridge by the lake. Had they been more sober, they would have exclaimed at the beauty of the place. They stopped, and Neville stared at her face, shining in the moonlight. "You're so beautiful!" he slurred. Rose giggled again, and then stopped suddenly. Both of them stared at each other in silence, before leaning forward as one, allowing their lips to meet. Even in their drunkenness, they couldn't ignore the tingles running all over each others' bodies. When they broke apart, Neville grabbed Rose's hand, and pulled her close to him. Their bodies seemed to mold into each others. They waltzed slowly around the bridge, not taking their eyes off each other.

I'm trying  
Not to tell you  
But I want to  
I'm scared of what you'll say  
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling  
But I'm tired of  
Holding this inside my head

Rose woke up the next morning next to Neville. He looked so perfect, fast asleep. She though back to what had happened the previous night. Nothing much- just a chaste kiss, and a moonlit dance, after which both of them had tumbled under an oak tree and gone off to sleep fully clothed. She saw Neville stir a little, and suddenly felt terrified. What if he wanted to push her away after last night? After all, he had been drunk last night. What if he told her family? What would they do? Rose moved away, and sat down on a rock a slight distance from the tree Neville was sleeping under.

I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
and now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you

Neville finally woke up, and saw Rose sitting some distance away, looking at him with a concerned expression. That's when he remembered what had happened the previous night. He swore, and sat up with a start. Ron and Harry were going to kill him! What is Rose already told them? Maybe they were on their way here right now! Terrified out of his mind, he asked Rose if she had contacted her family in any way in the last 8 hours. Rose looked bemused, and said she hadn't. Then, Neville began apologizing for the previous night, and saying that he didn't mean it. Even though he had wanted to kiss her for a very long time. Even though she meant everything to him- Rose with her fiery curls and crazy attitude. Her beautiful eyes and intelligence. But he didn't say all that out loud. How could he? She probably already thought he was a disgusting pervert. Why make it worse?

Rose heard Neville say he didn't mean any of it, and her heart starting hurting in a way she thought wasn't possible.

Oh I just can't take it  
My heart is racing  
The emotions keep spinning out

Neville kept going on about how his feelings for Rose were like those an uncle would have for his niece, and how he was truly sorry if anything he had done gave her the wrong impression in any way. Rose listened to this, with silent tears pouring out of her eyes. Finally, she cracked. She had kept everything bottled up inside for so long, she couldn't take it anymore. She screamed, "I love you, okay? I've loved you for years, and do you know how hard it is, pretending not to?"

Neville's expression would have been comical had it not been for the seriousness of the situation. He looked like a fish, with his mouth open that way. "You…love…me?" he managed to stammer. "But why?"

And Rose listed out all the qualities that made her love him, for once without thinking of the consequences of her words. And then she broke down and cried.

I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
and now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you

Neville felt happy in a way he didn't know was possible. The girl he was madly in love with loved him too. So what was the problem? They could live happily ever after now, right? Yeah, right. If they got together, who would tell her family? Oh, God. He was getting ahead of himself now. She probably thought he didn't like her, and was disgusted by her right now. It was time to act like a Gryffindor now.

I can't stop thinking about it  
I want you all around me  
And now I just can't hide it  
I think I'm fallin' for you

Rose felt a pair of strong arms around her, massaging her back, a voice whispering soothing words. She heard Neville's voice say that he loved her too, that he had for years. She heard him say that he didn't say anything before because he was scared of her reaction, and that of her family. But now? Now he was the happiest man alive, because she didn't find the thought of being with him repulsive. And if she was by his side, he would gladly face the rest of the world. Yes, even her family.

I'm fallin' for you

Rose looked up, and they kissed. It was perfect- the union of two souls. And that's when they realized they were made for each other, and no one else. And nobody could stand in their way now.

Ooohhh  
Oh no no  
Oooooohhh  
Oh I'm fallin' for you

Neville smiled at the woman in front of him. He lifted her veil, and kissed her. He held her hand out of the church amidst cheers. He could feel her uncles pounding his back, and her aunts hugging him. But he didn't care about anything else right now. All he could think about was the woman he was holding. Joined together forever. Rose and Neville Longbottom. Together, now and until the end of time.


End file.
